Spring Hill relic to reveal convict secrets

Tony Moore

Inside the Old Windmill

The Old Windmill at Spring Hill will soon open to visitors. Photo: Tony Moore

Canadian tourist Sandra Wallace looked up at Brisbane's oldest surviving European building - the Old Windmill at Spring Hill - with longing this morning, wishing she could venture inside.

If she had postponed her antipodean trip by six months, she might have been able to.

I would probably say this is the most significant project and probably one that will benefit Brisbane the most - not only today - but in the years to come

City officials plan to put the historic landmark on the tourist trail and open it up to the public after completing a $350,000 renovation of the four-storey structure.

Lord Mayor Campbell Newman and Member for Brisbane Grace Grace scaled the windmill as part of an official opening ceremony shorty before Ms Wallace happened by. It was the first time either politician had seen inside.

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And the view was no doubt very different from the Brisbane of 1828, when the Old Windmill was built by convicts in the earliest days of Brisbane as a penal colony.

Back then, it would have looked out over the shacks of the sprouting river city.

Ms Wallace, who hails from Winnipeg, said plans to open it up to tourists would make it a drawcard.

"Anyone who likes historical things would like to [see inside]," Ms Wallace said.

"We like to climb. We have just come from City Hall this morning, the tower there," she said.

The restoration of the Queensland hoop pine interior was completed as one of three projects during the $2 million Connecting Brisbane program in 2009 for the state's 150th birthday celebrations.

Ms Grace said she saw the building becoming a highlight of Brisbane's historic Brisbane tourist trail.

"I would probably say this is the most significant project and probably one that will benefit Brisbane the most - not only today - but in the years to come," Ms Grace said.

The windmill has been used to grind wheat for convicts, signal ships coming to Brisbane, and between 1934 and 1939 was the site of Brisbane's first television broadcasts.

Cr Newman said some checks would have to be done before the Old Windmill could be fully opened to the public.

"What we want to do is look at how we can - in a controlled and appropriate manner - allow the public to access this," Cr Newman said.

A rest stop is also likely to be built in nearby parkland to service visitors.

"We also see a coffee cart or coffee shop opportunity to allow people to enjoy the ambience of this park and this historical asset.

"There is also the heritage-listed water reservoirs next to us and we are looking at way to open this up as part of our CBD Master Plan exercise."

The penal settlement was established in 1825 and a windmill, with a treadmill, was recommended in 1827 and built by August 1828.

It was operated by 26 convicts.

One convict, Michael Collins, died on the treadmill in 1829, prompting civil servants to travel from England to investigate the death.

The windmill continued operating until 1842, though the treadmill was removed in 1839.

It set an early record for "asset sales" when it was sold at auction in 1849, however, when the new owner began to dismantle the Old Windmill, the site suddenly "reverted" to the Crown and the asset was permanently preserved.

In 1861 it became a signal station, with flags flying from a mast on top to let the new colony know that ships were entering the port.

A time ball was added to the roof and dropped at 1pm each day so people could set their watches, though by 1866 the time ball was replaced by a cannon shot. A second time ball continued operating until 1930.